Registration is now open here!
Concept
We are pleased to announce the 2026 Core Facility Leadership and Management Course by GerBI-GMB and hfp consulting. The concept of core facilities, central hubs for demanding technical and analytics services, is rapidly changing how science is carried out at many research institutions. Core facility managers, often academically trained scientists, find themselves in a variety of different roles that demand a broad set of skills they traditionally haven’t been taught in their career. Managing budgets, structuring the facility to work most productively, recruiting the right people, negotiating with partners, clients and vendors, dealing with hierarchy and addressing role conflicts are some of the challenges core facility managers typically face. GerBI-GMB in collaboration with hfp consulting, a group specialised in supporting scientists to improve their leadership and management skills, have developed an intense, interactive and highly specialised workshop that addresses these challenges. For more details, have a look at this 2014 event report, published in Imaging & Microscopy.
Course description
In this practical course, designed specifically for core facility managers in the life sciences, you will learn how to:
- Balance your different roles
- Build a productive team culture
- Deal with conflicts constructively
- Manage your time better
- Delegate tasks more effectively
- Deal with different personalities in the team
- Position your facility in your organisation strategically
- Negotiate more effectively
- Hire the right people
- Manage your budget
We approach these topics practically. Short theoretical inputs are followed by extensive exercises. Our goal is to increase the impact of the training by immediately applying the concepts we teach in partner exercises, case studies, and simulations during the workshop. The course language is English.
Course time line
Monday, August 24th, 2026: Arrival
Tuesday, August 25th – Friday, 28th, 2026: Course from 9:00-18:00.
Saturday, August 29th, 2026: Departure
Costs
Course costs, including accommodation and catering for 2026 are as follows:
GerBI members: 2650.00 Euro
CTLS members: 3300.00 Euro
Non GerBI & Non CTLS members: 3400.00 Euro
CTLS will also offer the option of a travel grant of 500 Euros to interested CTLS members registering for the course (maximum number of places is two). Please reach out to CTLS, stating your membership with them and the course name.
Please note that accommodation will be provided at the venue, Schloss Mickeln. We would like to make you aware that the rooms are not equipped with air conditioning.
Instructors
The workshop will be facilitated by members of the international team of hfp consulting.
Following institutes and organisations work with hfp consulting on a regular basis:
- Ben Gurion University, Beersheba
- Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA
- PRBB Intervals Programme, Barcelona
- School of Molecular Medicine, Milan
- Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot
Registration
Please follow this link to register for the 2026 course: CFLMK 2026
Terms and cancellation
Eligibility criteria
This course is catered for scientists working or planning to work in a life science core facility.
Cancellation policy
For cancellations received two months before the beginning of the course (June 23rd), fees will be refunded minus 25 € for administrative costs. After this two months rule, no refund will be possible for last minute cancellation or no-show.
Testimonials
Testimonials from past attendees:
“I appreciated how the trainers were familiar with the details of a core facility and how they helped like-minded people from every region bond in a peer-like way”
“This course is a must to do for CF managers and I am happy and very satisfied that I could take part”
“The course was not a course. It became a stimulating and vibrant experience from which I have learned a great deal.”
“I experienced many moments of recognition from past experiences where techniques taught in this course would have made a difference.”
